


A Reason to Fight

by flowersandmurders



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Balmeran!Hunk, Galra!Keith, Lance and Allura are siblings, M/M, Mutual Pining, Pining, Sad, Shiro Big Bang 2017, Slow Burn, altean!lance, but hopeful, everyone's an alien except shiro au, it ends sad, it's a space pirates au, it's sad, olkari!lance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-07
Updated: 2017-11-07
Packaged: 2019-01-30 13:10:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 18,322
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12654186
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flowersandmurders/pseuds/flowersandmurders
Summary: Thrust into a war that doesn’t belong to him, Shiro finds himself wondering why he’s even fighting at all.  Then a mysterious Galra appears, turning his life upside down, and quite possibly helping him to find a reason to go on after all.





	A Reason to Fight

The hallway was cold. Even through the heavy white fabric of his uniform, Shiro felt the chill. His footsteps echoed down the hallway, grey eyes fixed straight ahead and mismatched hands, one metal, the other flesh, in loose fists at his sides. He was the picture of a soldier- the model of an Altean Naval Officer. Humorous, in a way, since he wasn’t the least bit Altean. 

Being an entirely different  _ species _ than the rest of the fighting force had its challenges. Humans fell short of the strength and intimidation that other races often had- not to mention the lack of abilities like shapeshifting. But what Shiro lacked in superhero-esque power he made up for in adaptability. His quick thinking and intuitive leadership had gotten him where he was today- the youngest Captain that Altea’s Navy had ever seen. Well, quick thinking, leadership, and the ability to lose an arm and still keep his mouth shut. 

He’d earned his place.That was without question. You only needed to look at him to see all the young man had been through- from the white patch in his hair to the scar across his nose, and of course, the missing arm. The damage was more than most had- particularly at an age as young as twenty five. Perhaps that was why, despite being a few hundred years older than  him, none of the other members of the Princess Allura’s council questioned his advice. As he approached the familiar door to the council chamber, Shiro hoped that would still be the case today.

The doors slid open. Shiro expected them to reveal a table full of Allura’s trusted advisors, sitting and chatting as they waited for the meeting to begin. Instead, the only people that sat and the long, metal table were Princess Allura and Coran, her most trusted advisor. 

“Am I early?” Shiro asked, a twinge of panic striking his chest. He had checked the message three times, but perhaps he’d gotten the time wrong…

“No,” Allura replied, standing from her chair. “You’re right on time, Shiro. It will just be the three of us, today.”

She looked tired. Her hair was mussed, and her clothes looked slept in. Shiro’s brow furrowed at the sight of it. Allura highly valued her appearance- stating often that appearance was most of what diplomacy was about. A glance to Coran, and Shiro knew he wasn’t alone in his worries. 

“I see,” Shiro said, expression settling back into one of neutrality. “What do you need me for, Princess?”

Allura gestured for Shiro to sit. As he moved to take his seat, she raised the holographic map that displayed every star in the Altean Empire. With another movement, the map zoomed in on a point that Shiro was well familiar with: the border between the Altean and Galran Empires. It was a place the council had looked at day in and day out, determining who to send and where- all in an effort to end this war before it could take any more of a toll on the people. Resources were becoming scarce. People would join the ranks of fighters so their families would have food to eat, only to die in the heat of battle and leave them helpless once again. Many more were more inclined to join the crews of pirates, putting more faith in them than in their government. Bitterly, it had to be admitted that the mortality rates were lower for the pirates.  

“This war has gone on long enough,” Allura said, expression solemn. “This started as an act of vengeance, a misunderstanding, but now…” Her eyes fall closed, and for a moment the weight of the universe is visible on her shoulders. 

“My people have suffered long enough,” Allura said, eyes opening once more. “I have been talking with Coran, and we believe we have come to a solution.”

Shiro nodded, slowly, forearms resting on the table in front of him. 

“And what is that?”

Allura zoomed the map out again, flicking her wrist. Three dots appeared at different points on the map. 

“Pirates.”

Shiro’s eyes widened slightly. 

“Pirates?”

Allura nodded, a lock of hair falling into her face. 

“Not just any pirates, mind you- these three.” One hand pushed back her hair while the other pulled forward three different files- two with a photo and one without. “You may recognize them- we’ve had quite a bit of trouble dealing with them in the past. 

“The first ship is led by a Balmeran named Hunk. They are by far the least threatening, though their power should not be underestimated. They take only what they need, and oftentimes leave something in return- as is the nature of the Balmera. Their home was destroyed, taken from them by Galra prisoners. An invitation to fight against them, as well as a pardon of the crimes they have committed, should be enough to sway them to our side.

“The next is an Olkari- barely more than a child. Pidge, is her name. Don't let her age disillusion you- she stowed away on that ship two years ago, and now she runs it. All the information I have been able to gather on her suggests she is smarter than those three times her age. She is looking for her brother- he was captured by the Galra around the time she stowed away. A promise to help find him should win her over- and the pardon, of course, will be offered to any who join our cause.”

Shiro nodded, brow furrowed as he tucked this information away. Why he was being told any of this was beyond him- if Allura had researched something to this point, it was clear she did not need advice. At this point, it seemed all Allura would need is someone to gather them, and lead them into battle. Shiro supposed she’d pick one of her other Admirals. She had a knack for picking those leaders who were best suited for rallying the battalions- leading them to victory with their passionate and inspired leadership. Each of them had a reason to be fighting in this war. Shiro tended to stick to the sidelines.

“Lastly we have…” Allura faltered, gaze flitting away for a moment before settling back on the photo-less file. “An Altean group. They are led by a man named Lance. He… He will be the most difficult to persuade. A pardon may not be enough to sway him.”

“What  _ would _ be enough to sway him?” Shiro asked. Allura was silent for a moment too long. 

“We… aren’t certain,” Coran said, speaking for the first time since Shiro arrived. “He’s a bit of a special case. We’ll have to deal with the situation when the time comes.”

“Yes,” Allura said, speaking before Shiro could voice any of the questions that he had. “We shall. It’s going to take a strong leader to persuade him. It’s going to take a strong leader to pull any of this off.”

“I… suppose it’s a good thing you have a wealth of strong Admirals to choose from, then,” Shiro said carefully, shifting in his seat. He still wasn’t sure what his role was here. He’d done his part- fought his piece of the fight. All that he was around for now was to make sure that things ran smoothly for Allura- offering up what advice he could, when he could. He didn’t fight- not anymore. A sinking feeling in his gut told him that might change sooner than he’d like.

“Strong Captains, too,” Coran said. Shiro felt his blood run cold, a heavy feeling settling over him as his gaze turned back to the Princess. 

“You have the most experience working with multiple species,” Allura said, voice a touch softer than usual. Shiro fought the urge to snort- to remind her of just  _ why _ he had that experience. His metal hand curled tight. 

“Shiro, you are the only one I trust to lead this,” Allura said softly, dismissing the hologram. The room was markedly darker without it. “Your… experience… even being what it is- it has given you the skills to help all life forms co-exist. I’ve seen you- watched how you interact with people from all walks of life. You have helped keep peace where even other Alteans would not have had the means to. You are the only one for the job.”

She was right. That was what needled at Shiro the most. That even with her youth and her inexperience on the battle’s front, she was right. There was simply no getting around it. No matter how much he might want to.

“This is our last hope, Shiro,” Coran said, standing from his seat, mustached lips  curved into a frown. “You know as well as I that Altea is fading- and fading fast. This group could be our last chance to save our people from total destruction- give us the edge we need to push back the Galra, once and for all.”

There was no choice- not when it was said like that. There was no questioning, no second guessing. This wasn’t about him- this was bigger than him. It was Altea. It was hundreds, thousands of innocent lives. In the end, it was also an order, so what choice did he have? He stood, grim expression on his face. 

“When do we start?”

“Tomorrow,” Allura said, sinking back into her chair. “We will begin preparations tonight, set out in the morning- and then the Voltron Corps will be formed.”

 

Shiro stood to the side the hanger, watching newly enlisted soldiers bustling about the dark grey floor, hauling supplies from around the large room and onto the ship- a gleaming work of white metal, with blue accents and Altean writing on the side, marking it a Naval Vessel. He had a checklist in his hands, ticking things off every now and then when the boxes were loaded. Shiro wished it was enough of a distraction from his storming thoughts. 

The words from his earlier meeting with Allura rang in his mind, details of their targets mingling with the look of exhaustion on the princess and the worry in Coran’s eyes. This was their last hope. Shiro knew it- he just didn’t know why they wanted a broken soldier like him to lead it.

“Captain Shirogane! Sir!” a voice called from across the hangar, pulling Shiro from his thoughts. He looked up to see one of the Ensigns looking nervous and gesturing for him to follow. “You’re, ah, you’re going to want to see this!”

Shiro’s brow furrowed. The clipboard in his hands was set to the side as he followed the Ensign to the far side of the ship. A group of young officers stood around a heap on the floor. Shiro’s pace picked up, pushing through them to look down at the form on the ground. He blinked, staring at what he saw.

A Galra- wearing a tattered uniform and bleeding from various cuts on his face and arms. Bruises were hard to spot through the purple shades that made up his fur, but it was clear they were there. His eyes were closed, breathing shallow. He looked smaller than the average Galra- particularly the average soldier. Shiro was well aware of what that would mean in the eyes of a Galra. 

“We didn’t touch him, sir, I swear! We found him like that- all beat up and stuff. You know the Princess likes to have it be a fair fight-”

“Thank you,” Shiro said, crouching next to the Galra to check his heartbeat. With his free hand, he pointed to someone, ordering them to get the medic, and then another to get the Princess and Coran. The others he ordered to get back to work. 

“Who are you?” Shiro muttered, moving the enemy soldier carefully, trying to get an assessment of his injuries. The Galra’s eyes snapped open- a brilliant purple gaze meeting Shiro’s with desperation. He grabbed onto Shiro’s arm, eyes wide. He said two words.

“Help me.”

His hand released from Shiro’s arm, the soldier crumpling to the ground once again. Shiro barely had time to process what happened before the doctor showed up. Shiro moved to the side while the Galra was lifted onto a stretcher. Shiro stepped forward, intending to make sure the doctor would help him, but his attention was called away as Allura and Coran entered the scene. 

 

“You just found him there? By the ship?” Allura said, frowning as she looked through the window of the hospital room. The mysterious stranger was resting, bandages and cared for to the best of their abilities.

“Yes,” Shiro said. His gaze was trained on the stranger, unsure of what to think. The ship wasn’t exactly an easy place to get to- and no one had seen him get there. The security tapes revealed nothing, and Allura was growing more and more agitated with the less they knew. 

“This cannot stand,” Allura said, hands resting on her hips. “He is an enemy, and he very well could have-”

“We don’t know that,” Shiro interrupted. Allura scoffed.

“He’s a Galra,” she spat. “He’s in a Galra uniform. What else could he be?”

“He’s beat up,” Shiro retorted. “He’s beat up, he’s  _ here  _  and he’s begging for help. That doesn’t strike me as someone who’s out to destroy us all.”

“A spy, then,” Allura said. “I’ve heard rumors of them turning to spycraft. He cannot be trusted. How are we to know that he isn’t here to destroy us from the inside?”

“He isn’t the first person you’ve found beaten up and in a place he wasn’t supposed to be,” Shiro said evenly. Allura’s expression softened, eyes falling to the floor.

“You were different,” Allura said. “We weren’t in the middle of a war, and you weren’t-”

“I wasn’t Galra,” Shiro said, grey eyes unblinking as he stared at Allura. She sighed, but made no response.

“They aren’t all bad, you know,” Shiro said, hand resting on the small of her back. Allura’s expression twisted, but she held her tongue. Shiro had spoken often enough of the fact that he wouldn’t be free were it not for a Galra helping him escape, he didn’t need to say it again now. 

Shiro turned to look at the stranger. He had been in his shoes before- alone, surrounded by strange life, within an inch of his life. It was not a place he cared to be again, and it was not a situation that he would ignore someone else being in. No matter the politics. 

“He’s your responsibility,” Allura said. “ _ If _ he stays, you’ll be the one responsible for him.”

Shiro nodded. Allura sighed. 

“I hope you’re right about him,” Allura said, shaking her head as she turned to leave. “For both of our sakes.”

Shiro crossed his arms,  taking another look at where the Galra lay. 

“Me, too.”

 

He woke alone. That was their first mistake. Keith knew that this would be easy- but he didn't think it would be  _ this _ easy. He slipped the tubes and needles from his arms and stood. Pain accompanied his movements, but it was nothing more than he was used to. 

He crept to the door, crouching low and opening it just a crack. Keith held his breath as he peeked out- spotting the legs of a soldier standing guard at his door. Maybe they weren't entirely hopeless after all. 

Keith slid the door shut, looking around the room for other exits. There was a large window across from his bed. It would be too conspicuous to break it- particularly with a guard so close. It also meant he'd have to move fast to avoid being spotted.

His jaw clenched, eyes flashing as he looked around the room. The feeling of being caged was growing by the second. He couldn’t be here- not for a second longer than necessary. His mission was simple- get in, get the information, get out. He had no time to be trapped.

Shining silver caught Keith’s eye. Purple eyes locked in on the ceiling, a satisfied smirk crossing his face when he spotted an air duct. Perfect. 

Two perfectly executed moves later, Keith was nowhere to be seen.

 

Shiro’s attention should have been on the task at hand. The checklist in his hands demanded vigilance, but he couldn’t keep his mind from wandering. Though his eyes were on the list, his mind was on the Galra soldier he’d left lying in the hospital bed. Those strangely human eyes. He’d told the guard at his door to alert him at the first sign he was awake. A glance at his messages showed nothing. Shiro sighed. 

There was no use standing around here and being distracted- that Shiro was sure of. Beckoning to a nearby soldier, Shiro passed off the checklist, saying something vague about being back in a moment. The only way he was going to get his mind off of this was to just check on him himself. 

He walked down the hallway quickly, the path to the room seeming to stretch on for far too long. Shiro swore that the hundreds of other times he’d walked down this path, the walk hadn’t been nearly as long. At long last he reached the turn that would take him to the room.

Rounding the corner, Shiro found something better than a view through a window- he saw the soldier himself. His brow furrowed, frown tugging at his lips as he approached. His hand hovers at his tablet, hoping that he’d find an unread message. Instead he reached out, placing a hand on the purple alien’s shoulder. 

He recoiled, turning to Shiro with a fire roaring in his purple eyes, hands realised defensively.

“Sorry,” Shiro said, hand coming back to his side. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”

“You didn’t,” he replied, eyes narrowed slightly. Shiro waited a moment, expecting more of an explanation to come. It didn’t. 

“Right…” he said, flesh hand rubbing the back of his neck. Awkward silence fell- both soldiers staring silently at each other, taking in as much as they could while they waited for the other to make the first move. 

Keith saw a human- a race he knew little about- in an Altean uniform. He saw someone with a young face, high rank, and weary eyes. He saw someone he knew he’d have to destroy if he stood in his way. 

Shiro saw bruises. It was never easy to tell with the Galra- their fur hid most injuries from a casual eye. Shiro had more than a casual eye. There was something about him-  something familiar. Something that reminded him more of friend than foe. Perhaps that was why he broke the silence first. 

“Captain Shirogane,” Shiro said, extending his hand and offering a small smile. “Though, my friends call me Shiro.”

“Keith,” replied Keith, staring at the offered hand blankly. Shiro retracted it. 

“No rank?” Shiro asked, gaze flitting to the torn uniform. Keith shifted uncomfortably.

“Not anymore.”

“Ah.”

Silence. 

“Have you been around the ship yet?” Shiro asked, hoping to dispel some of the lingering tension in the air. Keith tensed. 

“Don’t you want to know why I’m on it to begin with?” 

Keith was beginning to think he’d rehearsed his lies for nothing. 

Shiro’s only response was a gentle smile and a small shrug, hands sliding into the pockets of his tunic. 

“If you want to tell me, I’ll listen. But I know what it’s like to be where you are now.”

It took all of Keith’s willpower not to roll his eyes, gaze turning to the silver numbers on the wall that marked the hallway number.  _ Right _ . 

“Fine,” Keith said. Shiro’s smile grew. “Give me the tour.” If  _ this _ was how he had to get his information, then this was how he’d do it. It was supposed to be a  _ covert _ operation, after all. 

“Right this way.”

 

It had been a long while since Shiro had someone pay as close attention to the tour as Keith did. The Galra hung onto every word like his life depended on it, though any attempt to segue into real conversation was met with silence. Shiro didn’t blame him. After all, it hadn’t been too long ago that Shiro had been in that same position. Alone. Bruised. Surrounded by a whole different species of people. It was a lot to take in. Some days it felt like he was still taking it in. 

“... and finally, you have the launch bay,” Shiro said, arm sweeping out over the large hangar. “Of course, considering this is where you were found, I think you’re at least a little familiar with it.”

Keith made no reply. His eyes were darting across the space- taking in each of the Altean soldiers as they worked, moving the last of the cargo aboard and double or triple checking that everything was in order for their departure.

“We’re preparing for quite the voyage,” Shiro said, gaze moving from Keith as he leaned against a railing. “Going to be going out among the stars, looking for some people.”

“People to take down Zarkon?” 

“Yes.” There was no hesitation in Shiro’s reply. He didn’t see any reason for there to be. Keith was to the point, and Shiro would return the favor. It surprised Keith more than he let on. 

“I can’t imagine you’re feeling too fond of the guy at the moment,” Shiro said. Keith couldn’t honestly recall the last time he’d felt more than two emotions towards anyone- and neither one of those two emotions could be labeled as ‘fond’. “We, ah, we could use your help. If you wanted.”

Questions about Shiro’s overall intelligence began to float through Keith’s mind. 

“Me?” 

Shiro nodded, standing straight as he met Keith’s eyes. 

“You.”

Keith scoffed, shaking his head. It was too easy. This was exactly the kind of thing he’d been sent in to gather information about. Granted, his superior’s had envisioned a simple data transfer, and perhaps a vague idea of plans. Not a human with a scarred nose and a steady gaze offering Keith a place right in the heart of it all. 

“Might be nice,” Shiro said offhandedly. “Better than staying here.”

Keith bit the inside of his cheek, mulling it over. His superior’s didn’t like change, that was certain, but this? This was too great a chance to miss. 

“When do we leave?”

 

Allura was furious. Shiro could tell just from looking at her. Granted, it was his fault. He’d failed to tell her when Keith had woken, showed him all around the ship, and then invited him on the mission- all while managing to avoid her. Was he proud of that? No. Would he do it again? Absolutely. 

Shiro wasn’t sure if she was going to say anything. He wasn’t sure if she  _ could _ \- not while they were surrounded by crewmembers and diplomats, waiting for her to send them off with a rousing speech. Keith had hidden himself in a back room. The glares and sideways looks from the Alteans the day before had clued him in to how the Princess might feel about him. He could only imagine how much worse it would be if she suspected who he truly was. 

The speech was delivered, flawlessly, and with the kind of diplomacy the Alteans were renowned for. Shiro only caught a few pointed looks and jabs that were sent his way. And with that- they were off. 

 

For all of the ups and downs of his job, this was the one thing that Shiro could truly say he enjoyed. The rumble of the engines beneath his feet, the endless stars that shone from the windows, the hustle and bustle as everyone moved about. It was familiar. Freeing. There wasn’t anything in any world that Shiro would trade it for.

He would certainly rather be out there- wandering the decks and staring out at the stars- than in this meeting. Still, it was a rather important one, seeing as no one else had the full story of why they were there.

“Does the  _ Galra _ have to be here?” a long nosed advisor asked, lip curled in distaste as she stared at Keith. Shiro clenched his jaw. 

“Yes,” he said. “He does.”

Shiro was no fool- he knew that it would be difficult for Keith. The Galra and the Alteans had a long, sour history, and one soldier wouldn’t change that. That didn’t mean that Shiro was going to send Keith in alone. 

The matter was dropped with a huff and an eyeroll, tension spreading throughout the room. Shiro ignored it, standing tall and going through the same information Allura had presented to him. Questions were raised and answered with as much efficiency as possible. Then came the next part- formulating the plan itself. 

“We should try and find the Olkari first,” Shiro said, pulling forward the file in question and spreading it out for all to see. “Their captain is the youngest, and they are one of the more powerful ones. Having them on our side early on will be good.”

From beside him, Keith made an almost imperceptible noise of disagreement.  Almost. Shiro turned to him, inquisitive eyebrow raised. Shiro can see the gears whirring in Keith’s mind as he answers, seemingly without a thought. 

“I think it’d make more sense to gain the Balmera’s help first,” he said. “They’re the gentlest- only stealing for the sake of survival. The Olkari are sharp and dangerous in war. If something goes wrong, we’ll need backup. The Balmera have the kind of firepower to make the Olkari pause.”

A small smile spread across Shiro’s face. It was the opposite of the looks on the rest of the faces in the room. 

“Brilliant suggestion, Keith. Let’s do that instead.” Shiro’s smile grows wider. “Thank you.”

Keith froze under the praise, ducking his head and fading back into the corner of the room. Shiro was still aware of exactly where he was. It intrigued him, the sharp eye this soldier had. Perhaps he could become more than just a rescue case after all. The idea kept Shiro’s smile from fading. 

The meeting went on. Questions were posed, and then answered. Keith piped up once or twice more, seemingly in spite of himself. For the first time in a long time, Shiro thought that maybe meetings weren’t too bad after all.

 

Shiro tried to catch Keith after the meeting, but to his dismay, the Galra soldier was nowhere to be found. He’d wanted to thank him for the suggestions, to try and see if there were any other ideas in that head of his. But, he couldn’t blame him for wanting to be alone. Shiro could still starkly remember how it felt to be overwhelmed by too many people, to feel the walls closing in on you as you desperately tried to stop yourself from feeling as though you’re drowning. It was easiest, then, to be alone. It was hardest, however, to  _ feel _ alone. 

“All due respect, Captain Shirogane,” said one of the advisors, pulling Shiro from his thoughts. “But I find it hard to believe you can trust the advice of someone like  _ him _ . Especially after, well, after…” They trailed off, gesturing to Shiro’s arm. Shiro stiffened. 

A cold feeling washed over him, features morphing into a stony mask as he stood, eyes locked on the advisor. 

“All due respect,” he said, stiffly. “You shouldn’t talk about things you don’t know anything about.”

He left the room without looking back. So absorbed was Shiro in his thoughts that he failed to notice Keith falling into step beside him. 

“You didn’t have to defend me,” Keith said, eyes fixed on a point straight ahead of them. In fact, he found it ridiculous that he had. Keith was there to steal from them- to take information and give it to their enemies. Shiro  _ defending _ him while he did this seemed ridiculous, even if Shiro didn’t know the whole story. 

“I wasn’t,” Shiro replied, metal hand pushing the white tuft of hair back into the black. Keith stared, brow furrowed slightly. The question was on the tip of Keith’s tongue, begging to be asked, but he stopped himself. There was no place for this curiosity. It didn’t matter. Keith wasn’t here for  _ that _ kind of information. The information he needed would soon be stored in the archives room below the ship. Unfortunately, that information wouldn’t be there for a while. Particularly since they’d made changes to their plans, because Keith couldn’t keep his mouth shut. He clenched his jaw, turning his gaze away. 

“You can ask, you know,” Shiro said, watching Keith from the corner of his eye. “If you wanted.”

No, Keith thought. He couldn’t.

“I’m tired,” Keith said, continuing to avoid Shiro’s gaze. “I think I’ll find a quiet place to rest.”

He left abruptly, turning down a hallway before he was sure of where it led, and leaving Shiro staring after him in confusion. 

 

Keith managed to avoid Shiro for the next few days. He managed to avoid almost everyone, to his relief. He hadn’t expected to be welcomed aboard with open arms, but there was something about the constant staring and whispers that was beginning to needle at him. If they didn’t stop staring, they might catch him doing something worth whispering about. So, Keith avoided them- sticking to the higher places of the ship- where few people could spot him. It was going well for a while. Then they found the Balmerans. 

Alarms began to blare, lights flashing as Keith hopped down from his perch. The sound was ringing through his mind, torture to his sensitive ears. He stumbled forward, half blind from the pain of the noise, and ran into possibly the last person he wanted to see: Captain Shirogane. 

Shiro was as surprised by the encounter as he could manage to be. The panic and rushing of those around him didn’t leave much time to dwell on such feelings, and the panic on Keith’s face only strengthened Shiro's feeling of urgency.

Taking Keith by the arm, Shiro left his intended path for a moment. It wasn’t long before they arrived at the Captain’s quarters. Shiro could hear the advisor’s in his mind, chastising him for leaving Keith alone with the sensitive information inside that room. He didn’t care.

“Stay here, I’ll find you when it’s over.”

Shiro’s tone left no room for argument. Keith tried to make some anyways. Unfortunately for Keith, Shiro closed the door before he could get a word out. There was  an instant silence that almost dispelled Keith’s annoyance.

He walked to the door, trying the handle. His annoyance increased tenfold when he found that it was locked. 

“What kind of Captain has a door that locks from the outside?” Keith snarled, slamming a hand against the door. 

He tried the handle a few more times, to no avail. Keith figured he could break the door down, but that would require too much explaining. A huff pressed past his lips, hand coming to tug at the longer fur at the top of his head. He’d have to find another way out. Turning on his heel, he began to investigate the room. 

It was most definitely Shiro’s. The bed and desk were a mess- sheets tangled and notes and books strewn across the surface- but everything else was neat and in order. The walls were a pale blue color, only a slight difference from the pearly white and grey of the rest of the ship. A quick peek in the drawers showed they were more or less orderly- no folded piles, but everything had a place. Nothing that would help him escape. Not even a window or a large enough air vent. Keith wondered again what kind of Captain’s quarters this was. 

He gracelessly flopped into the desk chair, clawed hands gripping at the armrests. Despite the pastel tone of the walls, Keith felt like the room was getting smaller. Closing in on him. He didn’t want to be here- he just wanted to do his mission and move on. Survive. That’s what he was good at. That was exactly what he couldn’t do if he was trapped in this ever-shrinking  _ box _ that had the appearance of a bedroom. 

A flash of red catches Keith’s attention. The screen of a pad, half buried under a pile of papers with messy handwriting, lit up. The words were clear: Classified: To be Viewed by Authorized Personnel Only. Keith hesitated a moment before reaching out and picking it up. 

He’d never been one for rules, anyways. 

 

Shiro’s fists were clenched tight. For his metal hand, this meant little, but for his flesh hand, it meant that his entire arm had begun to tense. He could feel another knot beginning to form in his shoulder. His focus wasn’t on that, however- it was on the monitor, which showed the Balmeran’s ship. A ship that was currently firing at them. 

“What’s going on?” Shiro demanded, pushing all emotion aside in the face of this emergency. 

“We-We don’t know, sir,” said the technician. “They came into our view, suddenly, and before we could send out a message saying we didn’t intend harm, they began to fire at us. 

Shiro nodded. The knot in his shoulder grew a bit larger. He moved on. 

Orders fell from his lips- sending people to battle stations, communications, and anywhere else they were needed. It took only a moment for a plan to be formed- raise the shields, try to send the message, and if all else failed, take them by force. It would be an easy fight. Shiro had hoped it wouldn’t be a fight at all. After all, it would be nice not to have to repair any of the newly acquired fleet. But things rarely worked out in his favor. 

A ceasefire message was sent, the Balmeran’s stopped firing, and soon enough a video conference was established. A Balmera with a broad face, square jaw, and intense yellow eyes appeared on the screen. Shiro recognized him as Hunk from the file photo Allura had given him. 

“What do you want with us? Are you here to take us to prison?” he asked, large hand coming to pull on the small horn atop his head in a nervous gesture. 

“No,” Shiro said “Nothing like that at all. Actually, we could use your help.”

Confusion flashed across Hunk’s features.

“Us?”

“Yes,” Shiro said. He folded his hands behind his back, trying to look as reassuring as possible. “Hunk, how would you like to join the fight against the Galra Empire, receive a pardon of your crimes, and find a more permanent home for your people?”

Hunk stood taller, the top of his head almost leaving the frame.

“What do you need us to do?”

 

Just over an hour later, Shiro returned to his room. Hunk had come aboard the ship, leaving someone named Shay in charge of coordinating things on their side. Shiro had given him a tour, fleshed out the details, and showed him to where he would be staying. It had worn Shiro out more than he thought it would. He was ready to fall onto his bed for about an hour, but when he tried the door handle, it was locked. He sighed. He’d gotten into the habit of locking the door behind him to prevent people from going through his room when he wasn’t there. He was still working on the habit of unlocking it when he got back. 

Shiro unlocked the door and walked into the room, taken aback when he saw Keith laying on his bed and staring at the ceiling. 

“If you wanted to talk to me, there were easier ways than locking me in your room,” Keith commented. Shiro flushed, hand covering his face. In all honesty, he’d forgotten Keith was there. He’d been so swept up in the hubbub of talking with the Balmerans the memory of leading an overwhelmed Keith to his room had been set to the side. 

“I’m so sorry, Keith,” Shiro said, dragging his hand through his hair. He couldn’t quite meet Keith’s eyes. “I… I didn’t mean to trap you here.”

Keith shrugged, climbing off the bed and crossing his arms. 

“Your bed is comfortable, at least.”

“Let me make it up to you,” Shiro said, thoughts of his bed set to the side. “They’re serving something nice in the cafeteria, and if you’re with me we can cut the line.”

Shiro didn’t use this privilege often- mostly because on the rare occasion he remembered to eat, hardly anyone was left in the cafeteria. 

“I don’t think-” Keith started, shifting uncomfortably at the suggestion. 

“Please?”

There was silence for a moment, Shiro staring at Keith with a mix of hope and remorse. Keith hesitated a second longer, and then nodded. A relieved smile bloomed on Shiro’s face. He stepped to the side, holding the door open and gesturing for Keith to go first. 

“You won’t regret it- I promise.”

 

As soon as they entered the cafeteria, Keith regretted it. A hush fell over the room, all eyes on Keith and Shiro. Shiro ignored them, the tense set of his shoulders the only sign he noticed it at all. Keith did his best to follow suit, but the muted conversation bothered him. He was too  _ seen _ \- too noticed. It was his job to fly as under the radar as possible. So much attention felt wrong. 

“You’ll like this,” Shiro said casually, scooping food onto a pair of trays and handing one to Keith. “We can take it back to my room to eat it, if you aren’t sick of being there, or there’s-”

“What is the meaning of this?” 

Shiro turned, stopping mid sentence to address a rather agitated looking Hunk. 

“I thought you said we were to fight the Galra, not work with them,” Hunk said, yellow eyes narrowed at Keith. Keith stared back indifferently. A response was on the tip of his tongue, but Shiro spoke first. 

“I said we were fighting the Galra Empire. Keith isn’t with them.”

Keith swallowed, eyes flitting away from Hunk’s for a moment. 

“The Galra are the reason my people have no home,” Hunk said, taking a half step forward. “They are the reason we live as we do- wandering and suffering and stealing just to stay alive!”

“The  _ Empire _ is the reason,” Shiro said, metal hand coming to rest on Hunk’s shoulder. A warning. “He is not the one who gave the command. He’s just like you or I- a victim of what they’ve done to the Universe. A reason why we need to fight back.”

Hunk scoffed, but stepped back. Keith was doing his best to school his expression, feeling everyone’s eyes still on him. 

“I do not trust the Galra,” he said. A biting remark about how Keith wasn’t feeling too keen on him either sat on the tip of his tongue, but once more Shiro beat him to speaking.

“Then trust me.” 

Hunk was silent for a moment, hands curled into fists. 

“Fine,” Hunk said, stepping back from Shiro’s hand. “But I want nothing to do with him.”

“Fine with me,” Keith said, dryly. Hunk glared for a moment, then turned on his heel to leave, muttering under his breath as he went. 

Silence hung over the mess hall. Keith waited, watching for Shiro’s next move. Shiro turned back to his tray, tossing Keith a tight smile from over his shoulder. 

“Shall we take this back to my quarters, then?” he asked. Keith nodded, lifting his tray into his hands. This was the second time Shiro had stood up for him- defended him. It bothered Keith. It didn’t make sense to him. Hunk was right, Keith was the enemy. Even if Shiro didn’t think Keith was a spy, he still felt that there should be some part of Shiro that wouldn’t be so… kind to him. It left a gnawing feeling in the pits of Keith’s stomach, making the food in front of him less and less appealing. 

The walk back to Shiro’s room is silent, the both of them lost in thought. By the time they got to Shiro’s door, Keith had a question on his tongue, begging to be asked. 

“Shiro?” Keith asked, clutching his tray tight.

“Yes?”

“I- uh- I wanted to know- I mean-”

A buzzing noise sounded at Shiro’s hip. An apologetic look flashed on his face. He held up a finger, tray shifting to his metal arm as he pulled out a tablet and looked at the message on the screen. Keith couldn’t quite make out what it said, but it made Shiro’s brow furrow. 

“Hold that thought?” Shiro said, tucking the tablet away again. “Something’s come up, an emergency.”

“I understand,” Keith said. He’s relieved, he tells himself. It was probably too personal of a question anyways- too intimate for a stranger like him to know. And it was best it stayed that way. For both their sakes. 

“I- I don’t know when I’ll be back, but I’ll find you,” Shiro says. 

Keith nods, knowing full well that he won’t. 

 

All Shiro wanted was to leave the room. It had been nearly a week since Hunk and the Balmera had joined their ranks, and now their attention was turning towards the next target- the Olkari. There were worries about technology and firepower- particularly as this ship was known for being merciless. There were even more worries about the target after that- the mysterious Lance. The meeting was done now, but for some reason, Raxa- an advisor- felt compelled to continue talking to Shiro.

“We don’t have enough information about him.” they insisted. “If this is to go smoothly, then we must know all we can.”

Shiro was doing his best not to yawn or look annoyed. 

“You’re right,” he said. “Send a message to Princess Allura, ask her to conference with me. I’ll see what kind of information I can get from her.”

“Right away, Captain,” Raxa said, seeming satisfied. Shiro left the room as fast as he could when they turned away. 

There was a weight that seemed to have settled on Shiro’s shoulders. A question that had been on his mind more than he wanted to admit revisited him: what was he doing here? This was an alien war, fought by alien people. Shiro had no real dog in this fight- he simply supported the cause of the Princess Allura. 

Wasn’t that enough? That he was helping to save countless lives by being a part of a resistance? The cause was a familiar one, and Shiro did care for Allura and her people, but some days he felt… stuck. Like a song put on repeat. He was just going through the motions, waiting for something to make him feel… human again. A hopeless feeling, since he was deep in space and surrounded by beings that were decidedly not human at all. The fight may have been a good one, but it was not his own. Some days he wondered what it would take for him to be able to get back home… 

Shiro was so preoccupied with his thoughts that he failed to notice Keith until he’d nearly walked right into him. 

“Sorry…” Shiro mumbled, shaking his head slightly.

“It’s fine,” Keith said with a small shrug, grip tightening on something as he slides his hand into his pocket.

“Keith!” Hearing the Galra’s voice helped close the bridge between what Shiro was seeing and what he was hearing, snapping him into focus. A genuine smile was on his face at the sight of him. 

“That’s… me…” Keith said, raising an eyebrow as he looked Shiro over. Shiro laughed, rubbing the back of his neck as a blush spread across his nose, accenting the scar that rested there. 

“It’s, uh, good to see you,” Shiro said, hands moving to the pockets of his uniform. “I lost track of you after the uh, the thing in the cafeteria.”

“You’re the only one here that seems to like me,” Keith said, bluntly. It confused him, in all honesty. Everyone else kept their distance, giving him wary glances in the hallway and whispering the second they passed him. Shiro didn’t. “So no one else would care to keep an eye on me.”

“They’re missing out,” Shiro said, smile back on his face. “There’s a lot to see.”

Keith felt his shoulders go tight, staring at Shiro with wide eyes. Did he know? Had he found him out? Perhaps the kindness he’d been offering was all a ruse, a trap to let Keith get his guard down, to be more easily seen through. Keith’s grip tightened on the object in his pocket. 

Shiro seemed unfazed by Keith’s panic, gesturing for Keith to walk with him as they continued down the hallway. 

“But, uh, you also remind me of myself, in some ways,” Shiro said. “We have more in common than you might think.”

Keith struggled to keep his curiosity under wraps. So much about Shiro made him think, made him wonder. It was a dangerous thing. Keith wasn’t supposed to think or wonder- he was supposed to do his job and get out of there. For some reason that got harder every time he and Shiro interacted. 

“You can ask me, you know,” Shiro said, watching the subtle emotions play across Keith’s face. Keith sighed, shoulders slumping a bit. He really wasn’t supposed to be that much of an open book. 

“Do you want me to ask?” Keith said, meeting Shiro’s eyes.

“Do you want to know?” countered Shiro. Keith hesitated. He shouldn’t. 

“Yes.”

Shiro’s mouth quirked into a sideways smile, pace slowing as he began to organize his thoughts. 

“I’d been with Allura for a while now,” Shiro said, metal hand pushing back his hair. “How I got here is… a blur. I get flashes every now and then- stray memories come back. I remember being hurt. Nothing that makes any sense to me yet. But, that’s not the point, really. She gave me a job- a chance to get inside the Galra’s base and figure things out from the inside.”

Keith felt his heartbeat quicken, palms getting sweaty. 

“I was supposed to sneak in disguised as a captive, and then try to get information from someone who was working on the inside. My contact was supposed to keep me safe from any real harm, make sure I got in and out as fast as possible, but there were… complications. 

“I was caught before I even got the chance to meet up with them. I’m still not sure how it happened. Allura said they lost contact with them before we were supposed to meet. There are rumors, but nothing is certain. 

“They took me to a room. Interrogated me. Gave me this-” Shiro gestured to his scar “- and this -” his metal fingers wiggled “- and… took a lot, too.” His expression went dark. Keith reached out, placing his hand on Shiro’s arm. The action said more than Keith felt he could with words. Shiro smiled at him, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. 

“Anyways. I broke out of there a few days later. Someone helped me. A Galra. A rebel.” Shiro chuckled. “Only a few people know that. Most think I escaped on my own. Of course, I didn’t remember right away…”

Silence fell over the pair. Neither seemed to realize they’d stopped walking, simply standing together in an empty hallway. Shiro was beginning to lose himself in his thoughts. Keith simply didn’t know what to say. What was there to say? How was  _ he _ of all people supposed to respond to something like that?

“I think… you remind me of him,” Shiro said quietly.

“Who?” Keith asked, brow furrowed in confusion. 

“The Galra who set me free. I think… that’s why I trust you, and no one else does. You remind me that not all of you are the bad guys.”

Keith snorted before he could stop himself. 

“That’s a dumb reason to trust me.”

Keith froze. He’d ruined the moment, he knew it! Here they were, having a pleasant conversation and then-

Shiro’s laughter breaks Keith out of his thoughts. His gaze catches on the way Shiro’s nose wrinkles, ears filled with the bell-like sound. 

“I guess it is,” Shiro admits, grinning. “But it’s the best one I’ve got.”

Keith was silent again, unsure of what to say. Thankfully, he didn’t have to say anything as the device at Shiro’s hip buzzed. He checked the message quickly, sighing softly. 

“I have to go- Allura has some information for me. Can I meet you later? Really this time?” Shiro asked, earnest gaze making Keith feel slightly trapped. “I don’t like not seeing you for days at a time.”

Keith shifted, gaze locked on a door handle instead of Shiro’s eyes. His hand curled around the object in his pocket. He knew his answer should be no. 

“I’ll wait for you outside your room.”

The grin on Shiro’s face almost made Keith forget why he was there. 

“I’ll see you there!” Shiro said. With a small wave, he was off, leaving Keith with more emotions than he knew what to do with. 

 

Shiro felt light as he entered the video conference room. Someone handed him a file, explaining that it was all the information they had about Lance and pointing out the list of questions the advisors wanted answers to. Shiro nodded along, though his mind was on purple eyes and how Keith’s hand had felt on his arm. He’d have to put those thoughts aside in a moment- have to focus on Allura and the mission at hand. But not yet. For now, he was alone with his thoughts, and for the first time in a long time he didn’t mind it at all. 

Far too soon Allura’s face appeared on the conference screen, and Shiro snapped into business mode. 

“I was told you had some questions for me?” Allura said, eyebrow raised as she stared at Shiro. She didn’t look any better rested than the last time Shiro had seen her, and based on the fact that she’d skipped over any kind of pleasantries, Shiro would guess she was still under too much pressure. 

“Yes,” Shiro said, flipping open the file. “We were planning out our next moves, and we noticed that there isn’t a lot of information on this Lance. He’s next on our list after the Olkari, and considering he’s Altean-”

“Lance is a… special case,” Allura interrupted, eyes cast downwards. “You won’t find any sort of information about him in the usual files.”

“Why is that?” Shiro asked, head tilted slightly to the side. Allura sighed, the corners of her mouth twitching down for a moment. 

“Because he’s my brother.”

Shiro’s eyes widened, mouth slightly agape. 

“Oh.” An intelligent reply. Shiro had heard rumors of a Runaway Prince of Altea- a rebel who had thrown away his title and rallied a group of passionate fighters to take on the Galra their own way. It wasn’t talked of much, however, and Shiro didn’t put too much stock into the rumors. Apparently, they were true. 

“Yes,” Allura said. “‘ _ Oh _ .’ We have… something of a complicated history, to say the least.”

“Will there be a problem with him being on the team?” Shiro asked. 

“ _ I _ won’t have a problem,” Allura said quickly. “But as for Lance… who can tell. It’s been years since I’ve even seen him, much less spoken to him. I’m not sure if he’d love the idea of working with me… But it’s a necessary risk. His band of fighters… they’re strong. And they have more information about the Galra than we do- particularly when it comes to fighting against them.”

Shiro nodded. 

“I’ll do my best, Princess.”

“I have complete faith in you, Captain,” Allura said, diplomatic smile in place. “And… I’ll try and get more information to you soon.”

“Thank you, Princess.”

Allura nodded, weariness settling over her features for half a second, and then the conference ended. 

 

Keith was waiting for Shiro when he got back. The sight made Shiro smile, though there was a troubled look on the Galra’s face that made him wonder what was going on in his mind. 

“I wasn’t sure whether to expect you here or not,” Shiro admitted as he approached Keith. Keith shrugged, a half smile turning up his mouth. 

“I wasn’t sure either.”

Shiro chuckled, gaze lingering on Keith’s smile. A comfortable silence hung in the air. 

“I, uh, I have some files to look over about the Olkari,” Shiro said, lifting his tablet up. “It’s pretty boring work, but if you wanted to stick around, maybe we could grab some dinner?”

Keith was silent a moment, seeming to mull the offer over in his mind.

“I’d like that,” he admitted, voice soft. He cleared his throat. “Though, if the cafeteria trip is going to be as eventful as last time, I might change my answer.”

Shiro chuckled, unlocking the door to his room and gesturing for Keith to step inside. 

“I’ll do my best to keep it as uneventful as possible, then,” he said. That half smile reappeared on Keith’s face as he walked inside. Shiro’s own smile grew as he followed Keith in, anticipating the research more than he had a few moments ago. 

 

True to her word, Allura sent the files on Lance a few days later. The board of advisors was eager to know what was said there, especially after word had flown about the Runaway Prince coming to join their ranks, but Allura had sent strict instructions that Shiro was the only one who was allowed to read them. He could share what he deemed relevant, but the files were his alone to access. Evidently, there was some sensitive information inside pertaining to the castle-ship and Allura herself. Shiro didn’t care too much about that, if he was honest. All he wanted to do was get through the heaps of information before him. 

Keith cared. Keith cared a great deal, actually. Shortly after his dinner with Shiro, he’d checked in with his handler. It had been difficult to find a place far enough away from the other’s but he’d managed it. It had been even more difficult to explain why he hadn’t sent in any new information. He’d barely managed that. 

The incoming file had been a large part of his ruse. Despite the flashdrive in his pocket that contained all the information on the Balmera, Olkari, and the rough plans for the Voltron Corps itself, he’d managed to convince his handler that the information about Lance was vital. Thankfully the Rebel Prince had been enough of a nuisance of late for his superiors to want information about him.  But there was a time frame for everything, and Keith’s wasn’t very large. 

His hand shook slightly as he knocked on Shiro’s door. He wasn’t sure what he was doing here. He wasn’t even sure what he was going to do. But here seemed like the right place to be, so here he was. 

Shiro didn’t mind being pulled from the files. He minded even less when he opened the door to see Keith. His excitement faded into concern when he saw the look on Keith’s face. He waited silently, expecting Keith to speak first. He looked like he had something on his mind, weighing him down. It was a feeling Shiro was very familiar with. 

A minute passed, and still Keith said nothing, standing in front of Shiro and looking like he was at war with himself. Shiro broke the silence.

“Do you want to see something?” he asked, voice gentle. Keith hesitated a moment, then nodded. Shiro smiled. 

“Follow me.”

Keith was silent as they walked, and Shiro didn’t push him. Keith appreciated the lack of conversation. He’d always liked the quiet. Especially now, when there was too much on his mind and not enough words to say what he was thinking. 

A short while later, they came upon a quiet corner of the ship. Ducking behind a pipe, Shiro gave a short “Ta-da!” as he gestured to a large window that overlooked the stars. 

“I’m… not quite sure why this is here, to be honest,” Shiro said. “This is just a storage room, really. No one is ever here. I think it’s one of those windows they add because it looks nice on the outside. Maybe to spot if someone gets trapped inside. Who knows. But… it’s quiet here. A good place to sit and think, when you need it.”

“Why are you showing me this?” Keith asked. It seemed… private. Like a hidden corner of a person. A place they went when they didn’t want to hide. Keith felt a pang in his chest at the thought.  _ Not having to hide _ …

“You looked like you needed a place to think,” Shiro said with a shrug. Keith shook his head, walking to the window and leaning on the large frame that surrounded it. 

“What do you think about?” Keith asked, eyes picking out patterns in the stars, memorizing where they were. “When  you come here?”

Shiro considered the question for a moment, walking slowly to the opposite side of Keith.

“Everything,” he answered. “My home. My family. My friends. What I remember of all that, at least. What I’ve forgotten. Why I’m here, fighting in a war that isn’t mine. What it would take to go back home. If I still have a home.”

Keith placed a hand on Shiro’s shoulder. Shiro shook his head, hand resting atop Keith’s as he smiled at him. 

“That was a bit much, I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be,” Keith said. His gaze fell back to the stars. “I’ve… never really had a home. I don’t… know what it’d be like to miss it.”

“It hurts,” Shiro said, grip on Keith’s hand tightening a fraction. “More than anything. More than the fighting. More than losing sleep. More than losing an arm.”

“I’m sorry,” Keith said, letting his hand fall back to his side. 

“Don’t be,” Shiro said. “It’s not your fault.”

Keith stayed quiet, emotions at war with his mind as a million thoughts ran through his head. If only Shiro knew. 

“I just… want the fighting to be done,” Shiro admitted. “I want the war to be over. It’s been long enough.”

Alarms sounded in the distance, accompanied by a rush of footsteps overhead. Shiro sighed, turning away from the window. 

“Another day, I guess.”

 

It was clear that the person they were up against was  _ not _ pleased. Their attack was furious and well directed- greenery shooting through space and making various alarms go off as the ship’s mechanics grew more and more angry and concerned. Shiro was grateful they’d taken Keith’s advice and gotten the Balmera to join first. The cover and shielding that Hunk and his crew provided stopped the Alteans from being destroyed entirely. Not to mention the fact that the damage they were dealing in return was invaluable. 

The Olkari ship didn’t seem to be trying to destroy them. It just seemed to want to get by. Every movement to get past the ships was blocked, resulting in more firing. Shiro watched this, intrigued with how ferocious they were when they were simply trying to get by. Shiro wondered how much more ferocious they would be if they wanted the Altean ship destroyed. 

Just as before, messages of peace and well-meaning were broadcasted to the other ship, insisting they didn’t want any trouble. Unlike last time, the Olkari hacked into their communications. 

The face of a shockingly young Olkari girl appeared on the screen in front of them, smooth, treelike features twisted in anger as she glared at the room. Shiro stepped forward, taking the brunt of the glare. 

“Get out of my way,” Pidge demanded. “I have a limited amount of time to make this work, and I’m not going to let the Alteans slow me down.”

“You’re after your brother, right?” Shiro asked, eyebrow quirked, unfazed by her demands. She looked taken aback. 

“How do you know that?” she asked, eyes narrowed. 

“Wouldn’t you like help?” Shiro asked, glossing over the question. “You’re pretty powerful on your own- imagine how much better you’d do with the help of the Altean Navy.”

Pidge was silent for a moment, eyes darting to something Shiro couldn’t see before flitting back to him. 

“What do you want in return?” she asked, chin sticking up slightly. Shiro liked her already. 

“You help us, we help you,” Shiro said. “Call a cease fire, come aboard. We’ll explain it all.”

Pidge hesitated another moment, staring hard at the same spot as before. Finally, she nodded and the screen went black. 

 

“... So, as you can see, our quests are similar,” Shiro said, standing at full height as he spoke to the Olkari girl. She had come aboard alone- a daring move. Shiro had a few friends around him, Hunk and his second, Shay, along with a handful of advisors. He’d invited Keith, too, though Shiro wasn’t certain if the hastily offered invitation had been accepted or not. 

“You wish to free your brother from the Empire, and we wish to bring the Empire’s tyranny to an end. It’s a win-win situation.”

Pidge’s hands were on her hips, sharp eyes looking over each of the people that surrounded Shiro, evaluating them. 

“If you’re so insistent on fighting the Galra, why is one of them aboard your ship?” she asked. Shiro ignored the swell of emotion that rose with the knowledge that Keith had shown up. He prepared to make a reply, but Keith beat him to it. 

“I’m with them.”

The simple statement made the wave of emotion harder to beat back.  

Pidge stared at Keith for a long moment. Keith stared back. After a moment, her attention turned back to Shiro. 

“You’ll really help me find my brother?” she asked, brown eyes peering directly to Shiro’s soul. 

“I will,” he swore. 

“You’d better,” Pidge said, folding her arms. “Or my ship and I will destroy you in half a tick.”

“Does that mean you’ll join us?” Hunk asked, smile beginning to form on his broad face. 

“For now,” Pidge said, shrugging and letting her arms drop to the sides. Her gaze began to roam the ship, examining the architecture. “If you really can help me free my brother.”

“We can.” 

“Then you have an ally.”

Shiro beamed, holding a hand out to her. She shook it with an impressive amount of force. 

“Hunk, Shay, would you and Raxa care to give our new ally a tour of the ship?” Shiro said. 

“Of course!”

As the four of them walked away, Shiro turned, looking for Keith. He didn’t spot him, but that didn’t deter him any. So often Keith had disappeared just when Shiro wanted to talk with him, and today, he wasn’t going to let that happen. He was determined to find him. 

Turning to one of the remaining advisors, Shiro told them that he’d be busy for the rest of the evening, and only to contact him if something important came up. Then, he set off to look for Keith, determined to find him.

 

Keith shouldn’t be  _ feeling _ so much. They’d taught him not to. Taught him how to take all of his emotions and lock them away, ignore them. They weren’t useful. Nothing was useful except silence and efficiency. Loyalty or death. Keith had never anticipated loyalty making him feel like death. 

The thumb drive was in his hands. On it, he’d loaded all the information the Empire would need to destroy not only the Voltron Corps, but the entire Altean Navy. All he needed to do now was send the information. The device was in his hands, ready. All it would take was a simple motion. But he couldn’t do it. 

The words he’d spoken earlier, those words that were supposed to be a lie but rang too true, echoed through his mind.  _ I’m with them _ . He wasn’t. He was against them. Standing here now, about to destroy them all, Keith knew that he was against them. Why did he think that? Why did he  _ say _ that? What had happened that made this so hard? 

A face came to mind. A distinctive face with a squared jaw, scarred nose, and silvery eyes. Keith’s hand clamped down on the drive as he tried to tell himself that Shiro didn’t mean anything. He was a means to an end. Because Shiro trusted him, he’d been able to get where he was now. Because Shiro trusted him. Because Shiro didn’t push him. Because Shiro was just there, willing to share in sadness and willing to support. Because despite every reason to hate him, Shiro was  _ kind _ . Keith’s shoulder’s slumped.  _ Why was this so hard _ ?

“Keith!” Shiro called. Keith scrambled to hide the devices in his hands, slipping them away as Shiro rounded the corner. Keith turned to face him, forcing a small smile. Concern instantly crossed Shiro’s features, twisting Keith’s heart even more. 

“Are you alright?” Shiro asked, reaching out without a trace of hesitation. Keith moved away from the touch. Shiro let his hand drop, apology in his eyes. It all made Keith feel worse. 

“I’m fine,” Keith lied. He was getting good at that. “I just… wanted to be out of the way. For the tour. Not really in the mood for questions.”

Shiro nodded, nothing but care and understanding in his gaze. Keith wished he was anywhere else. 

“It’s been a long day,” Shiro said, rubbing his neck in a way that Keith was becoming too familiar with. “Have, uh, do you have dinner plans?”

“No,” Keith said, wondering why on earth anyone would want to make plans with  _ him _ . Shiro smiled. 

“Would you like to?”

Keith blinked, unsure of what to say. 

“You don’t have to,” Shiro said quickly. “I just… we could have a picnic. In that spot I showed you? It’s… away. From the questions.”

Keith shouldn’t. He really shouldn’t. The weight in his chest was threatening to kill him, but something about the way Shiro was staring at him, so hopeful and earnest… 

“I’ll meet you there,” Keith said. The smile on Shiro’s face almost made the answer feel worth it. 

 

Shiro wasn’t sure why the thought of dinner with Keith was so exciting to him. Or, perhaps he was, but not for any reason he wanted to admit just yet. It was different around Keith. There was no need to pretend. No need to be someone he wasn’t. He could just… be. It was a dangerous feeling, if Shiro was honest, and one that was accompanied by no small amount of fear. But the fear always went away when Keith was there, reminding Shiro how it felt to be normal again. 

Just as Shiro put the last item in place, Keith appeared. Shiro noticed the expression on his face- the same one he’d worn earlier, but worse. There was something on Keith’s mind, Shiro was sure. He was also sure that if it was something Keith wanted to say, he would say it. 

“I, uh, I don’t know what you like, so I got some of everything,” Shiro said, gesturing to the spread before them. He wasn’t too great with food (he was more the type to set a pot of boiling water on fire) but he’d done his best to make everything look nice. Hunk was apparently something of a chef, and had spent some time in the kitchens earlier. Everything certainly smelled good. Shiro hoped Keith thought so too. 

“I’m not much of a picky eater,” Keith said, settling to the ground with a shrug. Shiro sat, too, picking up a plate and starting to add different foods. 

“I didn’t know that about you,” Shiro said. 

“Why would you?” Keith asked, picking up a plate but not adding much food to it. Shiro shrugged, staring at his plate. 

“I- I don’t know,” he said. “I’d like to know those things though. I’d like to get to know you.”

“Why?” Keith asked, brow furrowed. Shiro felt his face flush. Every answer that came to mind felt either too honest or too far from the truth. But what was the truth? Shiro wasn’t sure he was ready to give himself that answer.

“I consider you my friend,” Shiro said, color not quite leaving his cheeks. “I like to know things about my friends.” 

Keith was silent, the same look as before crossing his face. 

“Let’s play a game,” Shiro suggested. Keith looked up at him, eyebrow raised. 

“What kind of game?” he asked. 

“I don’t know,” Shiro said, sheepish smile spreading across his face. Keith found a smile of his own spreading across his face at the sight, head shaking. 

“Why would you suggest a game if you don’t know what you want to play?” he asked. Shiro’s smile widened. 

“I don’t know,” he repeated, pushing his hair back as color began to spread across his cheeks. Keith laughed, shaking his head at the human. Shiro had never heard such a lovely sound. 

“You’re human,” Keith said, beginning to eat his food. “What kind of games do humans play?”

“All kinds,” Shiro said, leaning against a wall as he ate. “Truth or Dare, Would You Rather, Rock Paper Scissors, I Spy… We don’t much like to be bored, so there are a lot of ways we made up to pass the time.”

Keith was silent a moment, stirring something on his plate before looking back at Shiro. 

“Teach me.”

The words were somewhere between a statement and a question. Shiro’s face split into a grin. 

“What would you like to learn first?”

About an hour later, Keith and Shiro were laying on their backs, laughter filling the air as they stared up at the sky. They had discovered that Keith was quite good at Rock, Paper, Scissors for reasons that didn’t seem explainable, that Would You Rather involved more explaining than they thought it would (the price of coming from different worlds), and that when faced with the question of Truth or Dare, Keith nearly always chose Dare. 

The game of I Spy they had started had rapidly changed to a lesson on constellations, as the only thing there really was to see was the stars above them. Shiro was trying his hand at creating and naming constellations. Keith was trying his hand at teaching Shiro the proper ones. At some point their hands had drifted close- almost close enough to touch. 

“That one, there,” Keith said, purple finger connecting a series of stars in the sky “is known as Janxi the Slayer. She was a famed warrior, striking down the most feared monsters and beasts in all the galaxies. Stories tell of how she even braved the Belly of the Weblum, becoming the first to discover Scaltrite.” 

Shiro hummed, nodding along as Keith spoke. He wasn’t  _ quite _ sure what a Weblum was, but he did know Scaltrite. And he knew that this was the nicest conversation he could remember having. 

“Do you have a favorite?” Shiro asked, turning his attention to Keith. Keith’s hand fell to his chest, considering the question. 

“Not really,” he admitted, seeming embarrassed. “The constellations were always more for navigation than for fun. The last time I looked at them like this…” He trailed off, losing himself in memory. Shiro’s hand bumped against Keith’s, looping their pinky fingers together. The action was more comforting than it should have been. 

“You don’t have to tell me,” Shiro said, gaze soft. “But if you want to, I’d be happy to listen.”

Keith was silent, the war in his mind evident in the expressions crossing his face. Shiro was silent. No matter what Keith chose, Shiro didn’t want him to feel pressured one way or the other. He just wanted to be here for him. 

“My mom…” Keith began, fingers drumming against his chest. He’d never spoken words like these aloud before, and if he was honest, he wasn’t sure if he planned to keep speaking them now. “She would take me to look at the sky. When I was a kid. We’d… we’d go on our roof after dark and she’d tell me all kinds of stories.”

“That sounds nice,” Shiro said, smile as soft as his gaze. 

“It was,” Keith said. He opened his mouth, then closed it. His gaze was fixed on the ceiling. It felt like there was more to the story, something that Keith was leaving unsaid. Shiro squeezed his pinky finger with his own. 

“Keith,” Shiro said. Keith’s attention turned to him, yellow eyes meeting grey with a mix of emotions. “You can trust me.”

_ But you can’t trust me _ . The thought hits Keith like a ton of bricks, flattening him and taking all the air from his chest. He stands quickly, ignoring the tears that are forming in his eyes as he makes a hasty retreat, leaving Shiro staring after him. 

 

Shiro sat in a meeting the next morning. The topic of discussion was to be how to convince Lance to join them without any more fighting. The mechanics were working hard, but another bout of fighting would do them no good. 

The topic of Shiro’s thoughts was Keith. All through the meeting, the events of the picnic played through his mind, leaving him with more questions than answers. Had he pushed too far? Had it been something he’d said, something he’d done? Shiro had no answers, and it was driving him mad. He had no interest in talking about things that would be irrelevant later, in the heat of battle. All Shiro wanted to know was what Keith was thinking and if he needed to apologize to him. 

“... Shiro?”

“Hm?” Shiro said, pulling himself back to the present. 

“What will we do if Lance refuses to help? We have nothing to offer him, really. Unlike with our friends the Balmera and the Olkari.” Raxa asked, clearly repeating the question for his sake. Shiro gave an apologetic smile.

“Isn’t this Lance guy a Prince?” Pidge asked, fidgeting with a cube in her hands. “An  _ Altean _ Prince? Shouldn’t he want to help his own people?”

“It’s a bit more complicated than that,” Shiro said, rubbing his eyes. “But we’ll just have to deal with it when the time comes. I’ll send a message to Allura, perhaps she’ll have some ideas. In the meantime, let’s just take it slow. We should be coming upon Lance any day now.”

“Isn’t he already fighting the Galra?” Hunk asked, fingers tapping against his leg. “Maybe it’ll be easy to get him to agree to fight with us. Simply joining our power to his.”

“I hope so, Hunk,” Shiro said. Hunk nodded, fingers tapping faster. Shiro recognized the gesture as an anxious one. “We’ll be approaching the ship soon enough. Everyone in position, let’s get through this as best we can. You know where to find me if you have any questions.”

 

The next few days passed painfully slow. Shiro sought out Keith every chance he had, but always seemed to just miss him. It was driving him crazy. He just wanted to talk to him, to apologize, to figure out where he went wrong. 

Keith was avoiding him at all costs. A storm of his own had been brewing in his mind, and he wasn’t sure what to do about it. The information he was supposed to send was overdue. It was such a simple task, something that Keith should have no hesitation in doing. Yet here he was, sitting in the rafters of an engine room, ears twitching fretfully as he stared at the thumb drive, uncertain as ever about what to do. 

If he sent the information, he’d betray Shiro, the only person who trusted him. Keith knew he shouldn’t let that bother him. He’d been there only to cause trouble, after all. If Shiro decided to let Keith in, to tell him about his past and hold his hand under the starlight, that was his own fault. It wasn’t something Keith should worry about, or think of as he tried to sleep at night. It was something that should only further his mission. Somehow it only hindered it. 

If he kept the information, he’d be branded a traitor. It might take a while, but Keith was certain it would happen. He’d be hunted, tortured, killed. For what? The Galra were his blood, his loyalties ought to lie with them. He shouldn’t be so easily distracted by something so trivial as his own feelings. Whatever those feelings were. Keith didn’t want to think about that. 

A door opened behind him. Keith tucked the thumb drive away, climbing even farther out of sight and staring at the only way into this room. Shiro entered, looking around for Keith. Keith’s heart twisted in his chest. 

Shiro scanned the room carefully, checking every corner he could. Keith held his breath as Shiro’s gaze began to get closer to where he was hidden. Alarms sounded in the background, saving Keith from discovery. Shiro sighed, turning from the room to respond from the alarms. Keith wished he felt better about watching him go. 

 

Once more, Shiro found himself somewhere he didn’t want to be. It was exhausting, standing at the helm of the ship, watching the bustle of people around him. The orders that fell from his lips were second nature, barely requiring any thought. They’d been here so often that the crew hardly needed him there at all. At least, in the beginning. 

“Is that a Galra ship?”

Shiro snapped to attention, eyes narrowing in on the place that was referred to. It was. Lance’s ship- a daringly blue and silver ship, clearly built for maneuverability- was in battle with one of the hulking purple ships of the Galra. 

“Help the Prince in his attacks,” Shiro ordered, pulling forwards the communication screens with Pidge and Hunk. 

Lance was holding his own fairly well, but it was clear he was overwhelmed. There were countless Galra fighters coming out to battle and only one of him. 

“Hunk, get as close to Lance as you can, cause as much damage as you can. Keep the focus on causing as much damage as possible until Lance can regroup,” Shiro said. “Pidge, get in close to the Galra ship- take out as many fighters as you can but focus on taking down their shields and canon. We’ll focus on the fighters and help as needed. Go!”

Their positions were assumed with ease, and soon enough the Galra ship was retreating, fighter ships retreating with it. Cheers from all the crews could be heard through the comms. Shiro didn’t think they should celebrate quite yet. 

“Open a comms link with Lance,” Shiro requested, once the cheering had died down. There was a tension in his shoulders that wouldn’t quite leave. The Galra may have left, but something told him their fight wasn’t over yet. 

A new face appeared on the screen in front of him. Lance, Shiro assumed, though he looked little like Allura. Large blue eyes, a shock of messy white hair, a smattering of freckles across his perky nose. The one certainty that he and Allura were in fact related was the familiar expression of annoyance on his face. 

“Tell my sister that I don’t need her help to win my battles,” he said. 

“We just saved your life!” Hunk said, disbelief on his face. “You should be thanking us!”

Pidge rolled her eyes, muttering something about ungrateful royalty. Shiro ignored them both. 

“Your sister didn’t send us here to help you,” Shiro said, hands resting on his hips. “She sent us here to ask for your help.”

“Why would I help you?” Lance asked, rolling his eyes. “She didn’t listen to me before, I don’t see why I should listen to her now.”

“We both want the same thing-” Shiro began. Lance cut him off.

“We do, sure, and I have been doing that thing just fine on my own these past years. My crew and I have fought many battles, raided stations, liberated planets. We don’t need you.”

“You wouldn’t have won this fight without us!” Pidge snapped, annoyance on her face. “You’re good on your own, sure, but you’d be stronger with us.”

“I’m missing half my fleet,” Lance retaliated. “They’re across the system, picking up supplies. These bullies caught us by surprise.”

“Even so, imagine how much more powerful you’d be with us!” Hunk said “You already know the might of your sister’s army, why not use it?”

“I don’t need her,” Lance said, jaw clenching. Shiro noted that stubbornness must run in the family. “As I’ve said, I’m fighting just fine on my own.”

“You want to bring the Galra down, as do we,” Hunk said, a passion entering his tone. It reminded Shiro of how he felt, long ago, when he was young and excited by the universe. 

“Fight  _ with _ us,” Hunk continued. “The Galra have taken everything from me and my people- our home, family, everything. This Voltron Corps, it is a chance for revenge and justice and freedom for other people and planets. It will only aid you in your quest.”

“Hunk is right,” Pidge said, fire in her brown eyes. “These Galra, they stole my brother from me, along with countless others, and they exploit them for their own gain. They ignore the balance and the proper way of the universe to do what they please. I set out to fight them, and with Voltron the fight will only be better, stronger, than anything we could do on our own.”

Silence fell, as if waiting for Shiro to speak, to give his reason. He didn’t have one. All he could think was that he was here because Allura sent him here. He fought because he was told to fight. There was a numbness in him that contrasted the fire in the words of Hunk and Pidge. It was glaringly obvious.

“As touching and inspiring as all that was,” Lance said, eyes locked on Shiro “I’ll need something before I decide whether or not I’m going to agree to your terms.”

“Name it,” Shiro said. Lance smirked. 

“An apology. In person. From my sister.” Shiro swore silently. “If she wants me to put our past behind us, then she needs to do her part.”

With that, the screen went black. 

 

Chaos was slowly unfolding around him. Questions flew about the history between Allura and her brother, whether or not she would apologize, what would happen if she didn’t- it was all too much. Shiro slipped away, pulling out his tablet and shooting a message to Allura. He had to get away. A storm of emotions and questions was brewing. Why was he there? Had he ever had the passion for victory that Hunk and Pidge had? He was fighting against those who oppressed and who harmed others, something he would always fight against, but was his heart and soul in this as he had seen? Did he need that passion? 

A flash of purple around the corner brought Shiro to the present. Keith. Despite all that had just happened, Shiro wasn’t going to lose a chance to speak to him. He picked up his speed, rounding the corner and catching up to him in no time. 

“Keith!” Shiro called. Keith froze. Shiro came to stand in front of him, slightly out of breath. Even with all that was happening, there was something about just  _ seeing _ Keith that made him feel better. 

“Hey,” Keith said, eyes downcast. Shiro reached out, Keith avoided his touch. 

“About the other night…” Shiro began. Every muscle in Keith’s body went stiff.

“What’s going on in there?” Keith interrupted, nodding towards the room Shiro had just left. 

“We, uh, we found Lance. He said he won’t help until Allura apologizes to him about something. It’s kind of chaotic.”

Keith hummed in response, eyes anywhere but on Shiro.

“The other night…” Shiro began again. Keith got even more tense. “Keith, if I did something wrong, or I pushed too hard, I’m-”

“Don’t.” The word was soft, but the pain made it feel loud. Keith’s eyes were closed, expression twisted. It only made Shiro feel worse.

“Can we talk about it?” he asked, wanting to reach out, to put their hands together and to take away some of the pain that was written all over Keith’s being. Keith didn’t get a chance to answer, as just then a crewmember rounded the corner, informing Shiro that the Princess was ready to call him. He sighed. 

“You should go,” Keith said, taking a step back. Shiro felt the tension from before return to his shoulders. He nodded.

“This time… please, let me find you,” Shiro said. 

He left before Keith could answer, uncertain if he’d be able to take the heartbreak of Keith saying no. 

 

“You found my brother?”

Shiro is alone in the conference room, only light the one above him and the glow of the screen. 

“Yes.” 

There’s a numbness in his voice that matches the numbness in his soul. He’s full of questions with no answer, and no time to think about them. The tension between his shoulders grows tighter. 

“And?” Allura prompted. 

“And he said he won’t consider joining until you come here and apologize to him in person,” Shiro said, fingers tapping at his leg. Allura’s mouth twitched in annoyance. 

“Typical. Well, you can tell him-”

“Tell him yourself.” Shiro was surprised by his own words, but that didn’t stop them from coming. 

“I beg your pardon?”

“Tell him yourself,” Shiro said again, hands curling into fists. “I’m not a messenger, I’m the captain of this fleet. You ordered me to be here. I’m here. You ordered me to find your brother. I found him. You want him to join the Corps? Come here and tell him whatever it is you want to tell him  _ yourself _ . This is your fight, Princess, if you want it won come and win it yourself.”

He turned on his heel and left, letting the door slam behind him. 

 

Shiro didn’t stop to talk to anyone, pushing past anyone who tried to stop him with questions or comments. He made a beeline for the small training room, relieved when he found it empty. In a moment, he shrugged off his shirt off and stood in front of a punching bag. He began to go through the familiar motions of training, letting his body go on autopilot as his mind worked through the events of the past few days. 

Why was he here? What was he fighting for? He certainly didn’t have the drive or passion of the others. These weren’t his people, this wasn’t his fight. It was a good fight, a worthy fight. But he was tired. Yet still, he fought. He pushed himself, and for what reason? Ever since he’d been free from the Galra himself, he’d been floundering, lost in a void that he wasn’t sure he’d ever be free from. 

Freedom. He’d been freed from the Galra  _ by _ a Galra. He’d never forgotten that. It was why he’d so easily been able to trust Keith, despite the wariness of those around him. 

Keith… There was a whole other set of questions and feelings. He stops fighting, resting his forehead on the punching bag, breaths coming heavily. There was something between them, Shiro couldn’t deny it. More than Shiro trusting him. More than the shared feelings of those who had similar experiences. Exactly what it was, Shiro wasn’t quite sure, but he did know that it was something he wanted to explore. There were feelings there that he didn’t want to ignore. 

He straightened up, falling back into the routine. That was one question answered. But there was still so much more… 

Shiro switched his stance and kept going, thinking of what Pidge and Hunk had said. They had lost their people, their homes. This fight was all they had left. The thought of that lit a spark in Shiro’s chest, a spark that he was determined to fan into a flame. This fight may not be all that he had left, but it was his fight now. He’d been put here, in charge of this Voltron Corps, and he could lead it. For those who hadn’t been as lucky as Hunk or Pidge or himself. For those who were trapped and couldn’t be free. For Keith, and people like him

He stepped back from the punching bag, determination filling him with a passion that had been long missing. A smile formed on his face, flesh hand pushing his sweaty hair from his forehead. He knew what he had to do now. It started with apologizing to Allura and it ended with finding Keith. 

 

Keith had never been more scared in his life. He stood in front of Shiro’s room, leg bouncing and hands shaking. He’d made his choice- an impossible choice, but one he couldn’t go back on. Now he was waiting for Shiro to return. 

There was no going back. He’d made his choice, and now he could only hope he wouldn’t regret it. 

Shiro rounded the corner, looking more relaxed than Keith had ever seen him. There was a spring in his step and a light in his eyes that made Keith feel warm. The warmth left when he remembered what he was about to say. 

“You waited…” Shiro said, the smile on his face warm enough to melt the iciest of planets. Keith nodded, steeling himself for what he was about to say. 

“Shiro, I- I need to-”

“Wait,” Shiro said, cradling Keith’s face in his hands. “I need to tell you something first. It’s important.”

“Shiro  _ please _ -”

“I care about you.” Keith felt his heart stop in his chest. “I care about you in… in a more than friends way. I have for a while now, if I’m honest.” Keith felt tears begin to well up in his eyes. “I know this is a lot, and you don’t have to say anything, Keith, but I care about you, and I… I want to be closer to you, if that’s something you want, too.” Shiro’s eyes were shining like starlight and it broke Keith’s heart. 

Keith stepped out of Shiro’s touch, tears streaming down his face. Shiro lifted a hand to wipe them away, but Keith grabbed his wrist, stopping him. 

“I have something to tell you, too,” Keith said, voice thick with emotion. He can’t bare to look at him, can’t take seeing the look on his face as he tells him. 

“I… I was sent here as a spy from the Galra Empire.” Shiro’s blood runs cold in his veins, arm falling back to his side. Keith waits for words of hatred, for Shiro to throw him out to the stars, to yell, to do  _ anything _ . He does nothing. Keith swallows, then continues. 

“I was supposed to gather information and then send it away. They don’t know about Voltron, yet.” Keith reaches into his pocket, pulling out the thumb drive with a shaking hand. “I was supposed to send them the information but I… couldn’t. I…”  _ I care about you, too _ . “I’m sorry.” 

Again, Keith waited for a reaction, but no reaction came. Shiro stood there, silently. Keith lifted his eyes, looking at Shiro’s face for the first time since he’d started speaking. There was no expression on his face, but the light in his eyes had died. There was a heartbreak written all over him that was seconds away from breaking the surface of his composure. Keith wished he’d yell. 

Without a word, Shiro took the thumb drive from Keith’s hand. He stood there for a moment, turning it over in his hand. Keith wondered if he was finally going to say something. Instead, Shiro turned and walked away. 

 

For the first time since he’d been aboard the ship, Keith is willingly sitting in a public place. His leg is bouncing, his face betrays his lack of sleep, but his eyes are alert, scanning the mess hall for any sign of Shiro. He hadn’t seen or heard from him since their conversation the night before. Just the thought of it made Keith’s heart twist. 

After a while, people begin to leave the mess hall, the meal coming to a close. Keith waits. He has to see him, has to  _ talk _ to him. Explain, if he can. At least figure out what was to be done with him now. 

Someone sat next to him. Keith turned, surprised to see Hunk and Pidge. 

“What are you doing here?” Keith asked, not bothering to hide his confusion. 

“You seem upset,” Hunk said, hand resting on Keith’s back. Keith edged away from the contact, but Hunk seemed oblivious to his distress.

“Why do you care?” Keith asked, remembering vividly the scene Hunk had made not long ago. 

“We’re a team,” Pidge said, arms folded over her chest as she perched herself next to Hunk. “You said it yourself, you’re on our side, so if something is wrong, we can ask about it.”

Keith’s nose twitched, shrugging the statement off. Depending on what Shiro did, Keith might not be a part of any team. His fists clenched tight, resting on his thighs. Maybe that would be for the best…

“Exactly! So what bothers you, Galra Keith?” Hunk said, patting Keith’s back. Keith was saved from having to answer that question as Shiro entered. Keith made a beeline to him, ignoring the confusion of Hunk and Pidge. 

Shiro looked like he hadn’t slept since they’d spoken last. There were bags under his eyes and a sunken quality to his face. It was such a sharp contrast to the look he’d worn when he’d cradled Keith’s face. The sinking feeling in Keith’s chest grew deeper.

Shiro didn’t look up as Keith approached, a sideways glance the only acknowledgement given. Keith wanted to reach out, to do something to bridge the gap that had formed between them. He kept still. 

“Can we talk?” Keith asked, voice low, wary of how many people surrounded them. Shiro remained stoic, staring blankly at the food before him. Keith began to worry that he hadn’t been heard, fingers tapping on his leg as his ears twitched. 

“Make it quick,” Shiro said. The tapping stopped.

“Can we… There’s too many ears here.”

Shiro nodded, turning on his heel and walking out of the mess hall, Keith right behind him. They stopped a few feet away from the door to the mess hall, Shiro opening a door to a large closet. Keith stared apprehensively at the space for only the briefest of seconds before entering. 

“Talk,” Shiro said, pulling the door closed behind them. He won’t look Keith in the eyes. Keith thinks that’s fair. 

“I…” Nothing he can think to say seems enough. He wants to know how Shiro is doing. He doesn’t think he has the right to ask, not when he’s standing in front of him, clearly not alright. He wants to ask what Shiro’s going to do about him. He doesn’t think he can bear the answer. He wants to say he’s sorry. He’s not sure those words will ever be enough. 

Keith stares at Shiro. Why had Keith wanted to see him so badly? Keith knows. He’s always known. It’s a truth too terrifying to admit. A truth only one of them had been brave enough to say. 

“I’m leaving.”

Shiro looks up at that, mouth slightly agape as his mind races. Keith fights off a smile at the way you can see the gears of his mind turning just by looking at him. 

“You… don’t have to do anything about me. I don’t belong here.” Claws dig into tender skin as Keith clenches his fists. “I’ve never belonged here. I’ll take a pod and… you won’t have to worry about me anymore.”

“Keith-”

“Don’t.” The word is soft, broken. Keith’s eyes close. He can’t bear to look at him now. He doesn’t want to know what he’ll find. Sorrow? Confusion? Relief? 

“I…” He can’t say it. “Goodbye.” He’s always been better at saying that. 

 

Shiro thought he’d been confused before, but as Keith pushes past him, exiting the closet without a word, his confusion only grew. It should have been the solution to all his problems. Keith would leave, no one would know that he’d been a spy. A spy that hadn’t done any spying, but a spy nonetheless. A spy that he cared about, despite everything. He sighed. There was only one thing to do. 

 

“You don’t have to do this.”

Shiro had been waiting far too long, leaning on the escape pod and waiting for Keith to show up. Keith had finally rounded the corner, small bag tossed over his shoulder, when Shiro greeted him with those words. 

“What else do you want me to do?” Keith asked. The words lack his usual fire, a defeat over his whole posture. Shiro doesn’t like it. 

“Stay,” Shiro replied, pushing himself off of the pod. “If you meant what you said about being on our side, what you said about being sorry-”

“No one will trust me,” Keith said, grip tightening on the bag’s strap. His voice gets softer. “ _ You _ can’t even trust me.”

“But I want to,” Shiro said. Perhaps he was too human, too soft hearted for his own good, but he didn’t care. 

Shiro stepped forward, placing a firm hand on Keith’s shoulder. 

“We can work it out,” he insisted. “We’ll figure it out. What do you have once you leave here? We both know the Empire isn’t known for it’s forgiveness.”

“I can take care of myself.” Keith doesn’t step out from under Shiro’s hand. 

“But you don’t have to.”

Any reply Keith might have made is cut off as Allura appeared, rounding the corner with Coran at her side.

“Shiro! Were you waiting for me?” she said, smiling brightly at him. “We’ve only just arrived.” Her tone loses some brightness. “Keith.”

Shiro stepped back, hand falling to his side as he forces a smile for the Princess. 

“No, I was just-”

Keith stepped forwards. 

“He was trying to talk me out of leaving,” Keith said, eyes levelled with Allura’s. “Even though I’m a spy for the Empire.”

For a heartbeat, everything is still. Then Allura hits Keith so hard, he falls to the ground. 

 

Chaos unfolded. Coran and Shiro dove in, Coran pulled a kicking and fighting Allura back, while Shiro dragged Keith away. 

“No! Not again!” Allura cried, tears stinging at her eyes and rolling down her cheeks. “They’ve already killed my father, Coran! I’ll not have them endangering my crew as well! Let me go! Let me  _ go _ !”

“He should let her go,” Keith commented dryly as he and Shiro boarded the pod, door sealing behind them. 

“She wouldn’t go easy on you,” Shiro said. Keith shrugged. 

“Won’t be anything worse than what the Empire will do.”

“Still,” Shiro said, thumb gently brushing over where Allura had hit. 

“Why do you care?” Keith asked, arms crossed tight over his chest. 

“You know why,” Shiro replied, thumb brushing over Keith’s cheek once more. “I told you.”

“And then I told you that I was here to betray you.”

Shiro nodded, pulling his hand away slowly. 

“That… hurt,” he said. “But… you didn’t. Betray us, I mean. You told me. You gave me the information. You’re on our team, even if you weren’t in the beginning. If you wanted to stay…”

“There’s no way,” Keith said, nodding towards where Allura and Coran had been a moment ago. “The Princess doesn’t trust me. She never has. A team can’t work without trust.”

“But I trust you.”

A sad smile stretched across Keith’s face. He reaches out, gently placing a hand on Shiro’s face. 

“That’s not enough,” Keith said. “It’s barely been enough this far, and with Allura… There’s talk of rebels within the Empire. The kind that set you free. Maybe I’ll find them.”

“Stay,” Shiro pleaded, resting his hand over Keith’s. Keith pulled him down, resting their foreheads together and ignoring the tears pricking at his eyes. 

“I’ll find you after the war is won.”

 

Allura’s fury hadn’t faded when Shiro found her in the conference room. 

“I hope you know that-”

“He’s gone, Allura.” 

They were the only two there. Shiro was grateful. There was a weariness in his voice that he didn’t feel like explaining. Too much had happened, too fast. He’d discovered his feelings, confessed them, and then lost the object of them. It was too much to explain. 

“Oh.” Allura blinked, gaze softening as she looked at Shiro. “Well…”

“There’s nothing more to say,” Shiro said, sinking into his chair. “He didn’t do any harm. He’s gone now. Can we just focus on Lance?”

Questions burned in Allura’s eyes, but she nodded. She took her seat just as the other members of the council arrived, and so the meeting began. 

 

Two hours later, they stood in the same place as before, waiting for Lance to arrive. 

“Remember, Allura, this is supposed to be an  _ apology _ ,” Shiro said, pulling on his sleeves. Allura had insisted they all dress in their best uniforms, and the gold fabric of his jacket was  _ slightly _ too short. “We need him to cooperate with us.”

“Everything will be  _ fine _ , Shiro,” Allura assured him. “No need to worry.”

Shiro kept his disagreements to himself. 

Lance arrived in a much flashier get up than before. He was flanked by people who looked to be his lieutenants, and had dressed up as well. Tight blue fabric was wound around his chest and down his arms, leaving his midriff exposed. Black fingerless gloves covered his hands, which rested on a belt holding an ornate looking sword. Shiro noted that showmanship must be another thing that ran in the family. 

“Lance,” Allura said, stepping forwards. Lance stayed where he was. 

“Allura.” His fingers tapped at his hips, eyes never leaving his sister’s face. 

“It’s been quite some time.”

Lance didn’t respond, simply staring at her, expectant. Allura sighed. 

“Very well,” she said. “I… apologize. If what I did offended you-”

Lance cut her off with a scoff, rolling his eyes. 

“We’re done here,” he said, turning to leave. Allura’s hands clenched at her sides. 

“It figures you would leave so easily,” she said, eyes narrowed. “It’s what you did last time, after all.”

“What  _ I _ did?” Lance returned, stepping forwards and getting in her face. “This is hardly about what  _ I _ did! After all,  _ I _ am not the one out here, sending innocent people to their deaths and getting other people to fight my wars! I’ve kept the innocent out of my fight!”

“You’ve always rushed head first into things, never bothering to look around you!”

“Better than waiting around until my people are starving! Better than only moving when a group of people says I can! At least  _ I _ get things done!”

“The only thing you’ve done is dragged the citizens of the Altean Coalition into a fight that they-”

“ _ No one _ is here unless they want to be. Can you say the same about your army?”

“He’s right,” Shiro said, stepping forwards. Allura turned to him, eyes flashing with a hint of betrayal. “This has gone on too long, and far too many people are suffering. The families of the drafted, people like the Balmerans and the Olkari. We’re here for  _ peace _ , not more fighting.”

Lance smirked.

“You need me more than I need you, sis,” he said, walking over and resting his arm on Shiro’s shoulder. “Because I don’t need you at all. But this guy?” He uses his free hand to point to Shiro. “I like this guy. And I like the rock and the tree, too.”

“Hey!”

“So, as long as I’m answering to  _ him _ , I’m in.”

Allura is silent for a moment, glaring at Lance as if it will cause him to catch on fire and all of her problems will be solved. Then, an icy smile spreads across her face. 

“Welcome to the team, brother.”

 

“With any luck, we won’t have too many more of these meetings,” Shiro said, standing at the head of the table. At long last, they were all together. Shiro’s eyes ran over them all: Hunk, Pidge, Lance, Kei- oh. It was just the four of them now. 

“To catch Lance and the others up, our plan is to use our combined strength and small number to launch an attack on Zarkon himself,” Shiro said, going through the motions of pulling the plan up on the holographic table and laying it out for all to see. As he walked through each of the steps, he couldn’t help glancing over his shoulder, half expecting to see Keith standing in the corner, ready to make a helpful remark. Not even gone a day, and already Shiro missed him.  _ How sad _ . 

“Now that we have your team, we should be able to coordinate and attack swiftly. But for tonight, I think we’ve earned the right to kick back, relax, and-”

“Sir!”

_ Please, no _ .

“There’s a whole fleet of Galra ships approaching!”

Shiro sighed, closing the hologram and nodding solemnly. 

“Let’s do this.”

 

They worked together like a dream. It was almost too good to be true. Hunk and the Balmerans provided cover fire, as well as blasted through shields and knocked off canons. Pidge and her team dove in, attacking at close quarters and taking out fighter ships on an individual level alongside Shiro and his crew, while Lance and his team skillfully picked off anyone who was left. Lance’s aim was incredible, Shiro had to give him that. 

Within no time, the fleet was driven back, and there were cheers over the intercoms, lasting all the way back to the ship. Morale was high. Hugs and cheers persisted as they all reconvened. Shiro turned, ready to congratulate Keith. His elation dimmed a bit as he remembered he wasn’t there. 

“Alright, team!” Shiro said, setting his own emotions to the side as he addressed the group. “I’d say we’ve earned this celebration! So let’s get to it!”

Cheers and joyful chaos erupted once more, everyone jumping over each other and shoving as the crowd moved to the mess hall. Shiro moved to the side, surprised to find Lance standing there, leaning against the wall. 

“Can we talk?” 

 

A quiet room was found, Shiro’s curiosity only growing with the way Lance was silent the whole way there. The silence was broken as the door closed behind them. 

“Is someone missing?” he asked, head tilted to the side. 

“Wh-What do you mean?” 

“You’ve looked around at least seven times for someone, only to have your face fall when they’re not to be found,” Lance began, ticking off the observations on his fingers. “You stumbled over some parts of the history, which made people trade glances, but no one said anything. It just feels like someone isn’t here and they’re supposed to be.”

Shiro was silent, stunned by how much Lance had observed in his short time there. 

“Plus,” Lance said with a smirk. “That plucky Galra who said he was on your team is nowhere to be found. Though, that could just be my sister’s less-than-fond opinion pushing him into hiding.”

Shiro chuckled, shaking his head. Something told him it’d be nice having Lance around. 

“There… was someone,” Shiro began. “His name was Keith.”

Lance listened closely as Shiro laid out what had happened. He tried to spare some of the details, for his own sake, but something told him that Lance picked up on them anyways. 

“... I don’t know when I’ll- if  _ we’ll _ see him again. But… he hasn’t been gone long. It’s still easy to forget.”

“I know how you feel,” Lance said, gaze soft. “I… had something similar happen to me. Not a spy, mind you, but… I had a lover.” He scoffed, overconfident grin finding it’s way to his face. “Not surprising, I mean, look at me.” Shiro chuckled. Lance’s expression became serious again. “But, uh, he left. After a few months of fighting. Joined the Empire. I… haven’t seen him since, but it hurts that he left. So… I know how it feels.”

Shiro smiled, hand resting on Lance’s shoulder. 

“Thank  you.”

Lance smiled, shrugging. 

“Well, in your case, there’s something of a happy ending,” he said, walking towards the door. 

“How so?” Shiro asked, eyebrow raised. Lance’s smile grew. 

“Because, if your lover boy-” Shiro’s face went red at the term “-really did find those rebels, then we have an in. And if we have an in, it’ll be even easier to convince them to join the Voltron Corps.”

“You’re right,” Shiro said. A dangerous feeling was beginning to bloom in his chest.  _ Hope _ . 

“And if my sister doesn’t like it, well…” Lance shrugged. “Not the first time I’ve left her to do things my own way!”

Shiro laughed again. He would definitely like having Lance around. 

“Now, let’s get to the party!” Lance said, walk taking on a dance-like quality as he brushed past Shiro and exited the room. Shiro waited a moment, staring after him. Everything was falling into place. The Voltron Corps had been assembled, they would certainly be able to defeat Zarkon with the four of them working together. With Lance’s help, he’d be able to find Keith… Shiro grinned, hope flowering in his chest. 

Shiro exited the room, catching up to Lance quickly, plans already running through his head. For the first time in a long time, he had a reason to fight, and he wasn’t about to let it go.


End file.
